Case for cigarettes, &amp;c.



L. P. SHANNON.

CASE FOR GIGARETTES, am.

APPLIGATIGN FILED MAY 5, 1913.

Patented Aug. 26, 1913.

fyi-

IiAUBENCE P. SHANNON, OF-WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CASE FOR'TCIGARETTS, &c.

Specification of Letters Patent.

.mmeamn med may 5,1918. serial No. 765521.

bia, have invented certain new and useful' Improvementsin Casesfor Cigarettes, &c.,

ofwhich=thefollowing is a specificati-on.

ThisI inventiomin' a general way, relates to 'that'cl'ass of containers orfpackages adapted-#to dispense'`r or discharge articles con tained thereinoneby one-,fand broadly considered, may bel constructed of various materials, as for instance indurated fiber, molded paper pulp or the various metals, depend- `m'gon the articles-to Ybefcontained and dispensed, `and* on thetasta and finances of the purchaser'orfusen' For instance, these'pack- 'i ages'vmay'be used'to-containand dispense scribe my inventionas embodied in la ciga-v One-obectofrlmy invention isl to prevent the'handlingof cigarettes'of'a package, be-

fore-usei'byganindividual, and to this endI provide for theA discharge. of a single ciga'- rette as `it isrequiredfor use, and that to the Aindividual intending to uscit.

A yfurther' object isl to yprovide' an article of this character 'extremely simple and inexpensive in construction, andreadily manipulated, either to fill or to discharge 'ciga-l rettes.t

A further -ffobj'ect of the invention is to provide a receptacle of this character withl a meansembodying the functions of a latch to prevent or permit the separation of the coverand holder, and also the-functions of an ejector.

With'these objects in vi'ew my invention consists in details of construction, and combinations, to be particularl described hereinafter, land-briefly 'set forth in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation cfa-cigarette case embodying my improvements, the parts being shown in position wherein the first of a row of cigarettes will have been'movedy upward with relation to said row. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the case, in 'closed position withthefirstof a row of cigarettes resting on the ejecting detent.i Fig. 3 is an end ele# vation of the case, the dotted lines indicatlng the combined latch and ejector in position to permit the separation and cover for fillin the former. Fig. 4 is a vertical section ta en on line 4 4 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 5^is a top plan view of the case.

The same reference characters are used in the several figures ofthe drawing to designate like parts.

My cigarette case comprises an outer shell or cover A' closed on all sides but one, and

a receptacle' or holder B for cigarettesof the holder 2, end walls =3 and 4, and a top wall, cut i away adjacent the end wall 4 leaving an opening '6 to admit of the passage of a cigarette therethrough.

` The holderB consists of side walls 7 and 8, end walls 9 and l0, and a bottom wall 11, and those so-,far constructed have b'een of a sizeto hold ten ordinary cigarettes and al `leaf spring, and are' so proportioned with relation to the cover A, as to slide -freely herein but without lost motion.

To save metal and weight the front wall 7 of the holder terminates at about a third athe height of the rear wall 8, and the latter lsprovided at top with a narrow flange 8a terminating short' of the end wall 10 to leave the opening 6 in the top wall of the cover unobstructed. I do not deem -this flange essential, but prefer its employment as -itl prevents other than the end cigarette fromlriding up due to possible contact of one side of the cigarettes with the front wall -1 of the'cover, 'at a point above the shortened front-wall 7 ofthe holder.

Pivoted or secured to the end wall 4 of the cover A, is a latch 12 terminating at its free end in a right-angled tongue l13, which, when the holder B is closed within the cover A may be moved through a slot 14 formedV in they lower corner ofthe wall? of the holder B and'through a notch 15 in the lower corner of the wall l of the cover A (see Fig. 4) thus permitting the cover to be removed fromthe holder in order that the latter may be filled with cigarettes.

In order that the latch 12 may, normally, be retained in the position shown in Fig. 3, I provide the wall 4 and latch with engaging parts, those shown consisting of a boss 16 projecting from the wall 4, and a. recess 17 formed in the latch, asbest shown 1n Fig. 2. These ymay the purpose ot refilling said holder, and

when these parts are again telescoped. together the latch may be releasedand the tongue 13 will enter the slot 19 and thus Vagain lock the two parts of the case together and prevent se Ieration thereof, exceptxby further mani ation of the latch 12.

As so far escribed the operati-on of my device is as follows :-.Assuming that'the holder B is filled or partly filled with cigarettes, (as in Fig. 2) the cigarette adjacent the end wall 10 and 4 of the holder and cover rests upon the tongue or detent 13 of the latch 12, the row of cigarettes being gently pressed toward that end by the light spring 18 of any approved form, which is inserted in the holder between the cigarettes and the end wall 9 ofthe holder. Upon moving the holder and cover with relation to each other, int-othe position shown in Fig. 1, the detent 13 will move upward in slot 19 of wall 10, and it follows that the end cigarette will be moved upward within the holder, away from the row (as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l) the tip end thereof being just beneath the opening 6 of the cover top 5. Upon now again moving the parts together the end of said end cigarette of the row will be projected sufficiently -beyond the top of the cover to be grasped by the lips or the fingers, Jfor though the detent 13 will have ceased to support it, the friction between adjacent cigarettes, and the end cigarette and the end wall 10 of the holder will be sutlicient to retain it in place, but to insure against possible failure to operate as described I prefer to form a slight'transverse ridge 20 in the wall 10 of the holder that will tend to indent the cigarette slightly thus holding it securely against being carried downward by frictional contact with the next' adjacent cigarette.

As a further and distinct improvement, I prefer the slide 21 to cover or expose the opening 6 in the top wall 5 of the cover, to prevent escape of tobacco from the case into the pocket of a user, and this also tends be conveniently fprmed pressing the metal of these parts 1n aman-- it will be noted that Ltr/Lese to keep the cigarettesv from becoming dry from exposure to air. In carrying o ut this feature lot the invention the side walls 1 land 2 of the cover are pressed to form outwardly projecting longitudinal bosses 22 and 23 at the inner end of which are formed stops 24. The slide 21 has a Hat top and parallel side wings, these wings having parallel grooves to ride upon the longitudinal bosses 22 and 23, as shown in Figs. 1, 4, and 5. The flat to of the slide is` shown as provided with a oss for engagement by the thumb or finger, and also-as being roughened for a like purpom.'

It will be understood-, that such a case is operable without the presence of thespring 18, as the case may be .turned with its wall 4 and lO downward, and'the'ci arette would move by gravity toward' sai walls', thus lodging the endmost cigarette of a row upon 4the detent 13, further manipulationbelng apparent.

Claims. l. A cigarette case consisting of a cover having two side walls, two end walls, a top wall having a slot adjacent one end wal, and an open bottom; a holder havin two side walls, two end walls, a bottom wa l and an open top, one of said end walls being slotted adjacent the 'bottom' wall; and' a resilient. L-shaped member secured to amend wall of the cover and adapted to protrude through. the slot in the end wall ofthe 'holderand 'fulil the dual functions of ,a

latch .to prevent separation of the holder and cover, and of an ejector, or to be withdrawn from the slot in the holder to permit the removal thereof from the cover.

2. A cigarette case consisting of a cover and a holder fitting therein, said cover having an open bottom and an opening in the top wall adjacent to one end wall, said end wall having a combined Alatch and ejector ivoted exteriorly thereto, and said holder Being open at top and having one end wall slotted at the lower` end to receive the tongue or detent of thev latch and ejector, one side wall of the holder being provided at top with a flange terminating opposite the inner end of the slot in the top wall of the cover, a spring being seated in said holder between its bottom wall and thev ilange of the side wall, the lower corners of the holder and cover being slotted and notched respectively to admlt the passage of the tongue of the combined latch and ejector.

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LAURENCE P. SHANNON.

Witnesses:

C. E. Fn'rznR, J. W. SLAGGERS. 

